Mandy Harvey Concert to Include ASL Interpretation at Scottsdale Arts

Mandy Harvey, an award-winning singer, songwriter and inspirational speaker who lost her residual hearing when she was 19, will perform in concert Saturday, Oct. 13, at 7:30 p.m., at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. ASL interpretation will be available throughout the performance.

Harvey came in fourth during Season 12 of America's Got Talent, where she performed original songs while playing the ukulele during the competition. Following her debut performance on the show, the famously grumpy judge Simon Cowell hit the golden buzzer to automatically send Harvey on to the next round, commenting that her performance "was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen and heard."

"After I lost my hearing, I gave up," Harvey said on America's Got Talent. "But I want to do more with my life than just give up."

She began singing as a child but stopped performing for a time when she lost her residual hearing more than a decade ago from a connective tissues disorder. During an interview with NBC Nightly News, Harvey explained that her performances require her to maintain visual contact with the other musicians on stage. She feels the tempo through vibrations in the floor while relying on her brain's muscle memory to sing. It helps that she has near-perfect pitch.

Harvey now tours the world, performing her original music and presenting her inspirational story of never giving up. Her book, Sensing the Rhythm: Finding My Voice in a World Without Sound (Howard Books/Simon & Schuster) presents a message of helping others to realize their dreams and pursue their hopes. As an ambassador for Colorado-based No Barriers USA, she travels the country to challenge stereotypes.

For her performance at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Harvey will sign while singing, except for a few songs where she is playing the ukulele. For the ukulele tunes, an ASL interpreter will be present to sign for the audience. The interpreter will also sign throughout the opening performance by Lelea Fonua, a local singer-songwriter.

Lelea is a teenage musician who started performing at age 9. After only two short months on his ukulele, he began playing regular gigs and has opened for acts as diverse as Jordin Sparks, Common Kings, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Mötley Crüe, Joan Jett and L.A. Guns. He also has made numerous television appearances and has performed at major league sporting events. In 2013, he won first place in Alice Cooper's Proof is in the Pudding talent competition.

During the performance, the ASL interpreter will be located stage right (or house left) of the performer. Please contact the box office directly at 480-499-8587 for best seating options.

Tickets:
$26 / 18

Through its partnership with the City of Scottsdale, the nonprofit Scottsdale Arts (formerly known as Scottsdale Cultural Council) creates diverse, inspired arts experiences and educational opportunities that foster active, lifelong community engagement with the arts. Since its founding in 1987, Scottsdale Arts has grown into a regionally and nationally significant, multi-disciplinary arts organization offering an exceptional variety of programs through four acclaimed branches - Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA), Scottsdale Public Art and Scottsdale Arts Education & Outreach - serving more than 400,000 participants annually.

SCOTTSDALE CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
Since 1975, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts has provided a stage for a wide range of artists and genres, creating shared, inspiring experiences for the community that celebrate artistic excellence and cultural awareness. Today one of the premier performing arts halls in the western United States, the Center presents a diverse season of music, dance, theater, comedy and film from around the world.

LOCATION AND PARKING
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts is located at 7380 E. 2nd St. in downtown Scottsdale. Free parking is available in the public parking garage located to the west of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts on Wells Fargo Avenue. Additional free parking is available at the Old Town Parking Corral at East Second Street and Brown Avenue and at the Civic Center Library parking garage located on Drinkwater Boulevard at East Second Street.

ACCESSIBILITY
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts offers performance accommodations to enhance audience members' experience, including: American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation or live audio description with two weeks advance notice. Assistive-listening devices and wheelchair seating are also available. Visit www.ScottsdalePerformingArts.org/visit/accessibility/ or contact the Member and Patron Services Box Office at 480-499-TKTS (8587) [TDD: 480-874-4694] for further details. Please inquire about services when ordering tickets.

TICKET DISCOUNTS
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts offers a variety of ticket discounts for Scottsdale Arts members at the Friends level and above, groups of 10 or more and those purchasing packages to four or more events in one order. The Center provides free tickets to selected events for eligible students, teachers and active-duty military and veterans. Visit www.ScottsdalePerformingArts.org/visit/tickets-discounts/ or call 480-499-TKTS (8587) for more information.

THE STORE
The award-winning Store at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts supports the mission and diverse programs of the nonprofit Scottsdale Arts. The Store's unique selection of merchandise includes artist-made jewelry, stylish furnishings for home and office, unique creations by Arizona artists, fair-trade and upcycled/recycled global crafts, music, books, greeting cards and imaginative toys. Purchases are tax free, and members receive a 15 percent discount. Gift wrapping and shipping are also available. The Store is open seven days a week: Monday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon - 5 p.m.; and throughout most evening events. Phone: 480-874-4644.

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